1. Corporate Parenting: ‘Dealing with Care Leavers at College’ www.celcis.org

2. Outline Overview of looked after children and care leavers Who are ‘corporate parents’? What are the duties of a corporate parent? How can we make this happen?

3. How many Looked After Children are there in Scotland? In July 2014: 15,580 children were looked after by a local authority in Scotland 3,767 young people were eligible for aftercare services – 46% of these were in education, training or employment

4. www.celcis.org Why do Children become Looked After? A young person may become looked after for a number of reasons, including: neglect, abuse, complex disabilities which require specialist care, involvement in the youth justice system – very small number (average 74 residents in secure care accommodation in 2014)

5. www.celcis.org Where are they looked after?

6. www.celcis.org

8. Initial Destinations 2012 / 2013

9. www.celcis.org Follow-Up Destinations 2012 / 2013

10. www.celcis.org Attendance Those looked after at home tend to have the poorest attendance The more placement moves a young person has the more attendance suffers

11. www.celcis.org Health Needs of Looked After Children Looked after children and care leavers are more likely to experience health problems than young people in the general population

12. www.celcis.org Health Needs of Looked After Children Looked after children and care leavers are more likely to experience health problems than young people in the general population Self Harm Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Eye Sight Hearing Oral Health Coordination Exclusion Smoke Alcohol Conduct Disorder Substance Abuse Unplanned Pregnancy Emotional Disorders Poverty Hyperkinetic Disorders

13. www.celcis.org Pathways to adulthood and in(ter)dependence 26+ 16-18 Care Leavers are expected to make abrupt, accelerated and premature transitions compared to non-looked after peers, affected by potential developmental delay and immaturity resulting from: earlier childhood experience and trauma the impact of “being in care“ itself

14. www.celcis.org Where do Corporate Parents fit in?

15. www.celcis.org Overview of Part 9 (CP) Schedule 4 (who is a Corporate Parent?) Application of Part 9 (who does CP apply to?) Corporate Parenting ‘Responsibilities’ – Section 58 Additional Duties: – Planning – Collaboration – Reporting duties (incl. providing info to Ministers) – Reports to Parliament by Scottish Ministers – Guidance on Corporate Parenting – Directions to Corporate Parents – Reports by Scottish Ministers

16. www.celcis.org Definitions Corporate Parenting An organisation's performance of actions necessary to uphold the rights and safeguard the wellbeing of a looked after child or care leaver, and through which physical, emotional, spiritual, social and educational development is promoted (Updated Guidance – April 2016).

17. www.celcis.org Which young people does CP apply to? a.Every child who is looked after by a local authority, and b.Every care leaver under the age of 26 i.Anyone who ceased to be looked after on or after their 16 th birthday;

18. www.celcis.org Why do looked after children need support? No coincidence that looked after children have greater mental and physical health needs, or that their educational outcomes are poorer Face greater barriers than other children These barriers are not a given – together corporate parents can eliminate or mitigate the impact of many of these barriers

19. www.celcis.org Some good(ish) news Retention rates at school have been improving (slightly) – but 79% of looked after school leavers were 16 or under (compared to 30%) Average tariff scores are increasing – but remain low compared to other children (116 vs 407) Increasing rates of Looked After Children going on to positive destinations after school (74% vs 90%) But – exclusion rates remain high (233 vs 33), progression to employment, training and further education remains low, and they are still not matching their non-Looked After peers on most measures

20. www.celcis.org Schedule 4: Who are Corporate Parents? Scottish Sports Council Local authority Chief constable of the Police Service of Scotland Care Inspec. Scottish Police Authority Children’s Hearings Scotland SDS SCRA Scottish Ministers National Convener of CHS The Principal Reporter The Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland The Scottish Housing Regulator Bòrd na Gàidhlig Creative Scotland Colleges & Universities Scottish Fire and Rescue Service SCCYP Scottish Legal Aid Board Health Boards Special Health Boards HIS SQA Scottish Social Services Council

21. www.celcis.org Alert Assess Promote Opportunities Access Improve

22. www.celcis.org Section 58: CP ‘Responsibilities’ a)Alert to matters which adversely affect wellbeing of C&YP b)Assess the needs of C&YP for services and support provided

23. www.celcis.org Section 58: CP ‘Responsibilities’ c)Promote the interests of eligible children and young people d)Seek to provide them with opportunities to participate in activities to promote their wellbeing

24. www.celcis.org Section 58: CP ‘Responsibilities’ e)Take appropriate action to help C&YP to: o Access opportunities. to improve wellbeing o Access services and support

25. www.celcis.org Section 58: CP ‘Responsibilities’ f)Take action to improve the way in which they exercise their Corporate Parenting functions

26. www.celcis.org Alert Assess Promote Opportunities Access Improve Review performance as corporate parents and take action to improve where opportunities are identified Help looked after children and care leavers to overcome barriers so that they can benefit from opportunities, services and support Identifying relevant opportunities and seeking to understand how looked after children and care leavers could be supported to participate Perform actions which may advantage or benefit looked after children and care leavers To ensure services are relevant and accessible to the widest possible group – not sufficient to identify needs without addressing them Systems in place to stay informed of issues which could have a negative impact on the child/young person/population

27. www.celcis.org Section 59: Planning Duty to prepare, keep under review and publish a ‘Corporate Parenting Plan’ The format of this plan is not prescribed in the act, however it must include information on how the corporate parent/s will fulfil the duties outlined previously (Alert, assess, promote, opportunities, access, improve)

28. www.celcis.org Section 60: Collaboration between CP All CP are required to collaborate, in so far as it is reasonably practicable, if doing so would safeguard or promote the wellbeing of the C&YP to whom Part 9 applies. Collaboration may involve: – Sharing information – Providing advice or assistance – Co-ordinating activities – Sharing responsibility for action – Funding activities jointly – Exercising functions under this part jointly

29. www.celcis.org Section 61: Reporting by CP A CP must report on how they have exercised their ‘responsibilities’ and other duties (i.e. planning & collaboration) Plans & reports can be published in a manner deemed appropriate by the CP, such as alongside other documents (e.g. Corporate parenting plans) or as part of other reports (e.g. Annual Report) At least once every 3 years

30. www.celcis.org Section 62: Providing info to SG A CP must provide Scottish Ministers with such information about: – How the CP has exercised its duties under section 58 (the ‘responsibilities’) – How the CP has fulfilled its other duties under Part 9 (including planning, collaborative working and reporting)

31. www.celcis.org Section 63: Statutory Guidance A CP must have regard to any guidance on Part 9 issued by Scottish Ministers Guidance includes advice and information about how a corporate parent should: – Exercise their responsibilities – Promote awareness of their CP responsibilities – Plan, collaborate or report – Exercise other functions – Recommend the outcomes which CP should seek to achieve

32. www.celcis.org Section 64: Directions from Scot Min A CP must comply with any directions issued by Scottish Ministers. (Does not apply to SCCYP, colleges and universities) Directions issued in the form of Ministerial Orders

33. www.celcis.org

34. Questions?

35. Contact details: lisaann.kennedy@strath.ac.uk 0141 444 8504 www.celcis.org